Pick Up the Pieces
by storytellergirl
Summary: How do you pick up the pieces of the life you had before you were a soldier? Nothing is the same in a post-Chaos world, and for two souls it's a matter of letting go of a former identity to create a new one where peace reigns.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** Sailor Moon and all the wonderfulness that comes with it does not belong to me.

**A/N:** This is an AU setting that takes place in the Neo-Crystal Kingdom. Characterizations are sort of a meshing of the anime/manga/live action series, so please no flaming in regards to that.

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_**Pick Up the Pieces**_

Nephrite rubbed at his right eye wearily as he entered the bar. His shift had ended three hours ago, so by all rights he should be home in his bed sleeping. He would need energy for his next shift later in the day. But one of his coworkers had called him up, pleading with him to come back in to take care of a "problem" – one they couldn't seem to take care of themselves. Nephrite had wanted to say no, had wanted to hang up and go back to bed, but in the end he had come. He didn't consider himself _loyal_ to the bar he worked at. It was just a job as far as he was concerned. If he really wanted, he could probably find a job anywhere in Crystal Tokyo. Hell, there was a damn karaoke place down the street that always had a "help wanted" sign sitting in the window.

But Nephrite had been with this bar since it had first sprung up after Neo-Queen Serenity had ascended her throne. _The Jade Palace_ it was called, though there wasn't much jade to be seen in the place. The owner claimed it was named after a former flame, something Nephrite wholeheartedly believed. His taste in women tended to stray to those with singular names – most of them common prostitutes from the street, or working down at the strip joint two blocks east. One could deny the existence of such things as much as they wanted, but even here in Crystal Tokyo there were class divisions, poverty, and things that should never have carried on after the "revival."

That was the word most people used. Neo-Queen Serenity had more or less waved her wand, used her magic, or whatever the hell she had done, and created a whole new world power from the ruins of a once great city. The fact that she had destroyed the city in the first place fighting Chaos hardly mattered. She had revived it, took her rightful place as queen, and revived all those that had been lost to Chaos' long arms.

Nephrite had been one of those revived, returned for the simple fact that he had once served Prince Endymion during the Silver Millennium, though his place now seemed much lower than it had back then. In some ways he was still that general, still meant to serve the Neo-King. But in other ways he had changed. He had died, several times, and been brought back to life several times more. Each time had left a lasting impression. Serenity hadn't realized that by bringing those poor souls back to life that they might remember their former lives – especially those that had been sent to Earth by her mother during the first war with Chaos.

He knew he wasn't the only one that remembered his past lives. Zoicite spent much of his time composing music as a way to come to peace with his past lives; Kunzite claimed not to dwell on his own, but if one caught him off guard, he could be seen staring off into nothing; and Jadeite… well, Nephrite wasn't entirely sure what Jadeite did, though the fact that the man seemed to sport a new bruise each day made him wonder if perhaps the rumors about a secret fight club springing up underground might be true.

As for himself, Nephrite had taken a job at the bar, working himself until he was too tired to think. Seven days a week, twelve hours a day, and all for crap wages. It was a far cry from his days as general, but what else could he do? Endymion might be king, but he wasn't in charge of the day-to-day business of running Crystal Tokyo. The title was for show; Serenity had all the power, and all her trust went into the Sailor Senshi rather than the generals of her husband. Only Kunzite had seemed affronted by this; Nephrite had more or less assumed that was how it would be. After all, the Sailor Senshi had been involved in the fight against Chaos more than he and the other generals had.

And really, Nephrite was glad for it. He didn't need to try and add duties as a general back on his plate. He had enough with the migraines and the nightmares; anything else would have likely driven him to drink on a regular basis.

That wasn't to say that Nephrite occasionally found himself wondering what he was doing with his life. Working in a bar wasn't exactly prime living. His studio apartment was small, he ate ramen six days out of the week, and he couldn't afford cable. His neighbors were loud, the building he lived in looked like it should be torn down, and he had to either walk everywhere, or take the bus.

A _far_ cry from the good old days.

"Nephrite!"

The voice cut through Nephrite's thoughts, bringing him back to the present. He blinked, realizing he was at the bar, and why he had come in the first place. The problem. There was a problem at the bar, and he was supposed to take care of it. Grumbling a little, he replied, "Yeah, I'm here. Where is –"

"Over there." His co-worker – Asa – jerked a thumb over his shoulder. Nephrite craned his neck around Asa and let out a long breath. This was _not_ how he wanted to be spending his night.

"I'll take care of it," he said. Nephrite didn't say anything more as he made his way in the direction Asa had pointed him. His eyes were focused on a single table, studying the person sitting there. There were several empty bottles of beer sitting atop the table, and what appeared to be a half-finished bottle of tequila. Who the hell had let that bottle leave the counter? He shook his head at the thought; the bottle wasn't important right now. That wasn't the source of the problem – not completely anyway. The problem was actually more in the form of a person. A female person.

He stopped in front of the table, waiting for the woman to look up at him, but she didn't. He knew she knew he was there, but she wasn't acknowledging his presence. Of course she wasn't. He hadn't thought this would be easy, because if it had been, he wouldn't be here.

Nephrite watched her for a few moments, taking in the sight before him. He could understand why he had been called. Given who the woman was… well, it was certainly safer for him to handle her than someone else. He could be given a free pass if things got tricky, not that Nephrite wanted a free pass. He just wanted to be home in bed.

The woman in question continued to ignore him, reaching an unsteady hand out to grab the bottle of tequila. Her vision was probably double considering the amount of alcohol she had already consumed, because she misjudged the distance of the tequila bottle and ended up knocking over an empty bottle of beer instead.

"You're drunk," stated Nephrite as the empty bottle bounced around on the floor. She had winced at the sound, as though it was louder than it had really been. She was probably more than drunk if that was any indication.

"I'm not drunk," she stated, her words slurred.

"Yes you are."

"Says you."

"Yeah, says me," replied Nephrite. He pulled a chair away from another table, positioning it across from the woman, and took a seat. She narrowed her eyes at him, probably working up a less than flattering way to tell him to get lost. He almost welcomed the idea. She was difficult enough when she was sober; he could only imagine that she would be even cruder while drunk.

"Let me guess," she started after a brief pause, "someone called you to come babysit me again."

"Something like that," said Nephrite dryly.

"Well, I don't need a babysitter. I'm perfectly capable of drink… drinking my 'quila on my own."

"Tequila."

"That's what I said."

Nephrite nodded, not saying anything. He took the time to study her, taking in her glossy eyes from the alcohol, and how her hair looked as though she had run a hand through it at least a dozen times. She was attractive, and he would be a fool not to admit it. But the time for admiring her wasn't now, so he forced his eyes away from her face, refusing to let them trail down her neck. He cleared his throat instead. "I was told you refuse to leave."

She nodded. "It's a bar. I want to drink. I can't drink if it closes."

"It's almost 3:30 in the morning. They should have closed an hour ago," pointed out Nephrite. She shrugged without reply, her hand trying again for the tequila bottle. Nephrite quickly intervened, placing his hand atop the tequila first. She frowned as though she didn't know where the hand had come from, trying to pry his fingers off, but not getting anywhere. Her movements seemed to be slowing down, so she soon gave up trying to pry apart Nephrite's fingers. Instead, she let her hand fall down to the table, a sigh escaping her lips.

"It's my fault, you know," she said finally. Her voice was soft, and it didn't sound as slurred as before. Nephrite loosened his hold on the tequila bottle, his eyebrows furrowing together. He knew what she was talking about, and there was nothing he could really say in reply.

"You should let it go," he said after another pause.

"I wasn't fast enough." She was ignoring him, much like she always did. That was the problem with her; she was too stubborn for her own good. She didn't like to be bossed around, didn't like to have people tell her what to do, so she did as she pleased. Perhaps some people thought it was attractive. Nephrite simply thought it was maddening. _She_ was maddening. He hadn't known her all that well until the rise of Crystal Tokyo, and even now he couldn't really say he knew her much better. He just… he thought he could relate to her in some ways. She held herself to high standards, and when she didn't meet up to those standards she felt she had failed. He had been like that once, long ago. He didn't think he was a lot like that anymore, but he still remembered the feeling.

"There was nothing you could have done." Nephrite's reply was firm, trying to make it the final word on the matter. She snorted softly, her eyes going up to him. He found himself entranced for a moment. They were violet. People weren't supposed to have violet eyes, but that's what hers looked like. A dark violet.

"I'm a warrior, Nephrite. I'm supposed to be among the best. I should have seen it coming. I've seen and felt evil all my life, so I should have _known_ what was going to happen." She sounded close to crying, which made Nephrite feel uncomfortable for a moment. But he didn't say anything. She needed this. Whether or not she knew it, or wanted it, she had to let it out. Chances were this was the first time she was actually talking about it since it had happened. Despite being the Soldier of Mars, and known for being passionate on the battlefield, she was probably the most closed off of all the Senshi.

Finally, "Rei, your grandfather didn't die in battle. He wasn't killed by Chaos. Evil as it is, cancer isn't something you can sense. It's for a doctor to diagnose – not you." He spoke softly, knowing that she could take his words any number of ways. Fly off the handle and try to hit him – much like she had done three nights ago when she had first come to the bar to get drunk, or begin to sob uncontrollably like she had yesterday afternoon. No one really knew what to do, not even amongst her friends. Rei had always been the strong one, but after the passing of her grandfather last week, she had become a complete mess. It had been expected, but managing it was proving to be rather difficult.

The seconds ticked by, and Rei finally let out a deep, wracking breath as though she were about to sob. She didn't, though. Her shoulders merely slumped in defeat, and Nephrite caught sight of a couple of tears sliding down her cheek. In a small way he felt as though he had won the round. No beer bottles had been thrown around, no punches launched at his face, no nails dragged across his neck. Perhaps it was finally sinking in, or perhaps she was weary after so much drinking tonight. Nephrite wasn't going to question it. Not tonight, anyway.

Getting up, he went around the table, cupping a hand beneath one of Rei's elbows. "Come on," he said softly. "Let's get you home."

She didn't protest, allowing Nephrite to help her up, and even relenting to him guiding her toward the bar exit. He waved at Asa as they went, saying as they passed him by, "Take what she owes out of my paycheck." Asa nodded without a word, and Nephrite pushed open the door to step outside.

The air was warm despite the early hour, an indication that the day would be another scorcher. "Want me to get you a cab?" he asked, his eyes going up and down the street. One was bound to be around somewhere.

"I can't go home," said Rei miserably. "His presence is still there."

"What about your father's place?"

"I'd rather sleep in a jail cell for the night," she retorted with an angry swipe at her cheek. Nephrite frowned, but didn't say anything. He should have known better than to ask about her father. He knew that despite everything, she still wasn't on good terms with the man. He thought about asking about her friends; he might have Amy's phone number in his phone, or even Lita's, but another look at Rei's face told him to simply lay off. She probably didn't want to be seen in such a sorry state by them, and frankly, Nephrite was tired. If he had to root around for one of her friends and wait for them to come get Rei, he'd never get enough sleep before his shift.

"Come on then," he said. He reached for her hand, pulling her along behind him. His apartment wasn't that far, and she wasn't drunk enough that she couldn't walk for a bit. Rei didn't protest, allowing Nephrite to lead her home. They didn't say much as they walked, although Nephrite did cast a few glances at Rei to see how she was faring. She looked exhausted. He could see dark rings under her eyes, and he wondered if the slight hollowness in her cheeks was the result of shadows playing across her face, or the result of not eating enough since her grandfather's passing.

He forced himself to turn away, keeping his eyes ahead of him. It wasn't his place to worry about stuff like that. Not with Rei, anyway. Let her friends worry about her. He'd be giving them a call first thing in the morning, and hopefully that would be an end to it. Someone needed to take her in hand and get her to stop drinking at the very least. Alcohol wasn't going to bury the pain she was feeling. It would just keep getting her into trouble at the bar, or worse.

Nephrite didn't let his mind wander in that particular direction, instead slowing his steps as he came across his apartment building. Rei didn't say anything as Nephrite dropped her hand to punch the code into the keypad, waiting for the door to click open. When it did, he waited for her to go in first, following afterward. Placing a hand on the small of her back, Nephrite indicated for Rei to start up the steps. On the fourth floor he gently nudged her to take the right hallway, counting in his mind the number of doors until they came to one without any numbers on it.

Rei spoke then. "Is yours the only one without any numbers?"

"Yeah. They fell off a few months ago. The landlord keeps saying he'll get to it, but it's not a big deal. I know which door is mine."

She gave a small nod, but Nephrite doubted if she really cared. He put his key into the lock, turning the knob, and then pushing the door to his apartment open. Rei moved inside as he pulled out his key and followed suit. He didn't say anything as he turned to lock the door, a hand flipping on the lights. He didn't have to look at her face to know she was probably wondering if staying here was sanitary. Nephrite didn't exactly pride himself on cleanliness; the sink was full of dishes, his dirty clothes were strewn about the room, and his bed sheets looked as though he had never made them a day in his life.

"I wasn't really expecting company," he said with an apologetic shrug. Rei nodded again, moving further into the apartment, her eyes beginning to study it. He shrugged again. There wasn't anything for him to hide. It was simply messy. He moved past Rei and toward the closet. He was pretty sure there would be some clean blankets in there somewhere. Lita had been on a knitting spree last winter and everyone had gotten a blanket from her, and Nephrite knew his was hiding somewhere in the closet. It had been a garish color – bright orange and olive. The colors didn't mix well, but Andrew had kicked him in the shin at the time to thank Lita for it anyway, so Nephrite had… and then tossed the blanket in the closet so he wouldn't have to look at it again.

He found it hiding beneath a box of books Amy had suggested he read once. A little tugging and Nephrite managed to pull the blanket free. He doubted Rei would need it since his apartment would only get warmer as the sun came up in a few hours, but just in case, she could at least sleep atop of it on the couch to avoid whatever might already _be_ on the couch.

Nephrite turned around, his mouth opening to call out to Rei, but she was already there. He didn't have time to think as she stood up on her tiptoes, pressing her mouth to his. He found himself reacting without warning, the blanket falling to the ground, his arms going around her waist to pull her closer. He knew it was wrong. She was drunk, she was hurting, and he wasn't all that awake either. But she was intoxicating. She tasted like a mixture of tequila and something else… cinnamon. And maybe there was a hint of vanilla somewhere, too. Nephrite couldn't really be sure. He only knew that his body was reacting to hers, and he couldn't seem to pull away.

Even as she tugged at his shirt, his own hands moving beneath hers, Nephrite could feel part of his mind warning him what was happening was bad. But it didn't matter. They were already moving toward the bed, articles of clothing falling to the wayside.

He was going to regret this later, he knew it. But right now all he could think about was her. How she tasted, how she felt, how it all made some kind of sense. And frankly, that was enough.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** Sailor Moon and all the wonderfulness that comes with it does not belong to me.

**A/N:** This is an Au setting that takes place in the Neo-Crystal Kingdom. Characterizations are a meshing of the manga, anime, and live-action series, so please no flaming in regards to that. Nor to the offbeat pairings that may develop. This is merely my take on what could happen in a post-Chaos world.

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**The Next Day**

It was the soft clinking of bowls that awoke Nephrite the next morning, and the semi-familiar swish of water. At first he thought he was dreaming it, but when it sounded again, another _clink-clink_ in water, Nephrite began to pry his eyes open.

The first thing he saw was sunlight spilling across the carpeted floor. The curtain was only partially open; otherwise the sunlight would have spread across the bed as well. Nephrite rarely opened the curtains, a result of rarely being home during the daytime. Why open them when he slept during the day and worked at night? He couldn't sleep when there was light on his face, so it was simply easier to keep the damn things closed all the time.

Turning onto his side, Nephrite reached a hand toward the nightstand beside his bed, turning the alarm clock he kept (but rarely used) toward him. It was after 10:00 a.m. – far earlier than he normally liked to get up after a long night.

Nephrite pushed himself into a sitting position and tried to gather his thoughts. _Last night…_ The thought went unfinished as he glanced in the direction of the kitchen. From his vantage point he could see a lithe figure with her back turned toward him, standing just in front of the sink. Dark hair, bare legs… a long t-shirt that he was pretty sure belonged to him.

Rei.

Last night flooded back to him with a sharp jolt. The bar; the bottles of alcohol she had consumed before he had gotten there; taking her home; the kiss; the…

He couldn't help the small smile that flitted across his face as he remembered all that had occurred after she had kissed him. But then the smile vanished, his eyes returning to Rei as he realized what had happened last night. It wasn't merely a matter of _what_ had happened, but _how_ it had happened. She had been drunk and hurting, and Nephrite had been tired and…

_And nothing_, he thought to himself. _I let myself take advantage of her because she made the first move._

And now she was standing there doing his dishes. Nephrite didn't know what to make of that, though part of him wondered why she hadn't just left after she had woken up. She was still here, wearing _his_ shirt, and he didn't know what he was supposed to do next.

_Get up,_ he told himself. _Get up, get up, get up._

Running a hand through his hair, Nephrite swung his legs off the bed to push himself into a standing position. He grabbed a pair of jeans off the floor, pulling them on before reaching down to pull a shirt off the floor as well. He didn't care if they were clean or dirty; half the clothing in his small studio apartment were scattered across the floor regardless of the state they were in. He was just that bad at general upkeep.

Nephrite ran a hand through his hair again as he glanced toward the kitchenette. If Rei had heard him getting up, she wasn't letting on to that fact. She was still standing at the sink, busying herself with what had once been a pile of dishes. She must have been at it for a while seeing as how most of them were sitting in the drainer now.

He didn't know where to start. Say good morning? Cough to get her attention? Apologize for what had happened? Ask her how she was feeling now? Nephrite had never been one for small talk in the first place, but to make small talk with a woman he knew so little about? He knew more about Lita and Amy than he did Rei; she had always been something of an enigma, known more for her short temper and cool demeanor than anything else. He had always steered clear of her thanks to Jadeite; _he_ only ever pushed her buttons and sent her into a furious rage, almost as much as Serena did.

And not being the religious sort, Nephrite had never really stepped foot at her temple before. That just wasn't his scene… just like the bar hadn't been hers until her grandfather had passed away.

A sigh escaped his lips, and before Nephrite could think any further, he found himself taking the few steps it took to stand beside Rei at the sink. He reached for a towel lying on the countertop, and picked a plate out of the drainer to begin drying it manually.

Rei didn't even bat an eye as she continued to work on a pot in the water. "That's probably dirty."

Nephrite shrugged. "Probably."

She nodded and kept on scrubbing, silence falling between them. It wasn't an awkward silence like Nephrite would have expected. If anything, the silence seemed normal. Comfortable was too familiar a word, but it felt that, too. He continued drying dish after dish, laying them aside on the counter as Rei added the pot to the drainer and reached for a pan. He briefly thought about telling her to leave it alone, but the words wouldn't form. He kept on drying instead.

As he worked on the last fork from the drainer, Nephrite glanced at Rei out of the corner of his eye. She didn't look angry or particularly sad. Just… tired. She didn't even look hung over, which would have been preferable; Nephrite could handle a hangover. But he wasn't sure what _this_ was. It wasn't like he had a whole lot of experience with one night stands beyond himself slipping away before the other person woke up – and that worked pretty well since he normally never brought people home with him.

He had only brought Rei home with the intention of calling one of her friends to pick her up in the morning. But the way things had progressed last night, Nephrite wasn't sure if he could face any of her friends. How was he supposed to explain Rei in his apartment, half dressed, and working through his dirty dishes?

"Are you going to keep staring at me, or are you going to say something finally?" Her words jolted Nephrite out of the trance he hadn't realized he had fallen into.

"Sorry," he said.

"For staring, or for last night?"

He almost smiled. She knew how to get right to the point, didn't she? "Both, I guess."

Rei nodded again. Another couple of minutes of silence passed before she spoke. "It's not your fault," she said softly. "I should be the one saying sorry for it. I don't even know why I did it."

"You drank a lot yesterday. I knew better," replied Nephrite.

Rei didn't say anything again, finishing the pan and handing it to Nephrite to place in the drainer as well. She reached a hand into the sink and pulled out the plug, and the pair of them watched the water begin to drain. Finally, "I could have left when I woke up this morning."

This time it was Nephrite that was silent, his eyes focused on the pan in the drainer, watching tiny droplets of water slide down the handle. "Why didn't you?"

"I don't know." Rei turned toward Nephrite, her eyebrows furrowed together, and her eyes refusing to meet his. "I don't know why I've been doing a lot of things lately. Maybe that's how I process grief? Amy would say so, anyway. She's worried about me."

"All of your friends are worried about you," stated Nephrite softly as he turned to face her as well. He knew because he had heard it from Andrew, and even Darien, both of whom heard it from Lita and Serena. None of them seemed to know what to do for her – not even Lita who had lost her own parents and worked her way through her own grief. The trouble was Rei. She was normally such a private person, never sharing her emotions or letting down her guard, so to speak. But the moment her grandfather had passed away she had seemed to crumble. Nephrite had heard she had sobbed through the funeral; he hadn't attended, having never been close to her, and a stranger to her grandfather. He probably never would have thought twice about her had she not shown up at the bar he worked at one night. But she had.

"I know. But I just… I need time. I know they mean well, but sometimes I feel like they're there too much. I just… I don't want them to hover over me. I'm not made of glass."

"And they'd probably never let you leave their sight if they knew you were drinking your woes away," said Nephrite.

"Probably."

He nodded again. That was something he could understand – the drinking, and the privacy. Rei was used to handling things on her own, and ever all those years fighting Chaos alongside her friends hadn't changed that aspect of her. She needed space to grieve alone. Unfortunately, he could also understand why her friends were worried about her. Grieving alone could lead to dark places… although Nephrite didn't think she'd really do anything stupid other than get drunk.

_And sleep with me,_ he thought sullenly.

He gave a soft sigh, his eyes going to the stack of clean dishes on his counter. "You didn't have to do that," he said after another moment.

Rei glanced toward the dishes as well. "I think better when I'm busy."

"So you did my dishes?"

"It was either that or your laundry," she replied.

This time Nephrite did smile, his gaze falling back on Rei as she eyed the towel he had been using to dry the dishes she had washed. "Fair enough."

She looked up at him, scrutinizing him carefully. Nephrite met her gaze, his smile falling away. She looked serious again, and he wondered if she was going to ask him to never speak of what had happened again, or if she was going to break down in tears. He wasn't sure which option he would prefer, or if there would even be an alternative he could handle.

He certainly didn't expect her to step forward, her arms going around his waist as she pressed her face into his chest. It was almost instinctive how his own arms wrapped themselves around her body, a hand sliding up to cradle the back of her head.

Nephrite didn't say anything – didn't _think_ anything – as he held Rei in his arms. It wasn't something he could really process. He wanted to tell himself that she needed this. He wanted to say he understood it. On some level he thought he did, anyway. She may not want her friends to hover, but she wasn't against some form of comfort. He just wasn't sure how and why it had ended up being him. Was it because he hadn't pushed her in those first couple of nights at the bar? He had never told her things would be all right; he had only told her she couldn't have done anything differently. He wasn't sure what her friends were telling her, or how they were trying to be there for her. He could imagine Lita baking something, and Serena and Mina trying to hug Rei… and Amy placing a comforting hand on hers. But he couldn't see Rei accepting any of that.

And yet, here she was, her arms wrapped tightly around his waist, her head burrowed in his chest, silent as the grave. Nephrite didn't say a word, waiting for Rei to make the first move. He wasn't sure he wanted to scare her, if she could even be scared.

Minutes ticked by, and still Nephrite waited. Finally, Rei loosened her hold, and Nephrite loosened his. He didn't quite let go as she pulled away from him, her eyes slightly unfocused, and her hands still sitting on his waist. Nephrite moved the hand from behind her head to move a strand of hair away from her face, his hand coming to rest there instead.

He wanted to ask her if she was okay now, and the words were on the tip of his tongue. But they never came. Perhaps she sensed that, because her eyes met his again, and he watched her nod slowly. Nephrite nodded, too, but rather than let Rei go he pulled her into his arms again. She didn't protest. Her hands moved across his back, her fists gripping his shirt instead. Nephrite closed his eyes, allowing the moment to sink in. He wasn't sure how long they might have stayed like that, but the moment came to an end when his cell phone began to ring.

At first he tried to ignore it, but after the first time it went to voicemail, it started again and he felt Rei pull away from his embrace.

"Your phone," she said.

"I hear it," he replied. Nephrite allowed himself to let her go, his hands dropping to his side as he listened to the phone ring. He was trying to decide where the sound was coming from; ultimately pinpointing it to the pants he had been wearing last night. With a resigned sigh he walked over to the jeans and picked them up, pulling the phone out of one of the pockets. "Yeah?" he said upon answering it.

"Finally," came Andrew's voice. "I thought maybe the battery was dead again and I'd have to come pound on your door."

"It'll probably be dead soon. I haven't charged it," stated Nephrite.

"Then I'll make this quick. We have a problem."

"What kind of problem?" Nephrite was only half listening, his full attention back on Rei as she turned back toward the sink, reaching toward the towel. He saw her frown at it before turning toward him; but she wasn't looking at him. She appeared to be looking out at the rest of the apartment. It didn't take a genius to figure out what she was doing. She bent down to pick up a shirt off the floor, and then a pair of socks, brushing past him to pick up other articles of clothing she found strewn about the floor. _Great, now she's going to do my laundry, too._

"—It hasn't even been twenty-four hours yet, but once she gets something into her head there's just no stopping her," continued Andrew.

"Wait, what?" Nephrite tuned back in, confusion evident in his voice. That was what he got for not paying attention.

"Rei," Andrew repeated. "Rei is missing. Mina went to the temple this morning and couldn't find her, and now she's raising hell about it. The girls want to set up a search party to find her – and I'm pretty sure Lita has already vowed to spill blood. She certainly sounded bloodthirsty when I talked to her on the phone."

"Blood? All because Rei's not at the temple?" Nephrite's gaze continued to follow the dark haired woman in question as she made her way through his apartment, picking up clothing and dropping them into two piles on the floor. Lights and darks. He knew she could hear him as he spoke, but she wasn't pausing to see what was going on. She was focused on his dirty clothes.

"Mina's the one that's calling for the search party – she said she tried to talk to Rei last night, but Rei told her to leave her alone, and you know how girls are."

"Not really, no."

Nephrite could almost hear Andrew roll his eyes. "Rei probably wanted to be left alone, Mina didn't want to leave her alone, and after Rei made her leave she's been moping about it because she thinks Rei really needed someone last night."

"That's not it!" Mina's voice interjected from the other end of the phone, surprising Nephrite who hadn't realized Andrew wasn't alone.

"Regardless, Mina is worried, and Serena wants everyone to get in on the search."

"Serena – Serenity – the _Queen_ – she wants to have a search party?" asked Nephrite incredulously. "Because they think Rei's missing?"

"We don't _think_, we _know_, dumb ass," replied Mina, her voice louder now. Nephrite made a face as he listened to Andrew and Mina argue about the phone, static crackling through the line, as the pair seemed to play a quick game of tug of war. Andrew must have won, because it was his voice that answered back.

"She's not at the temple, Nephrite. We're there right now, and she's nowhere to be found. It's not like her to just leave the temple; it's her home. Something could have happened to her…"

"No. Wait. Stop," said Nephrite. "She's not missing."

"Huh?"

"Rei. She's not missing. She's… she's fine. She's… she's here."

"She's where? There? The bar, or your place?"

"Bar?" demanded Mina on the other end.

Nephrite sighed again. "My place," he said.

"What is she doing – Mina, stop."

"What do you _mean_ she's at _your_ place?" Mina sounded accusatory as she came back onto the line, her voice crisp and clear.

"By the looks of it," replied Nephrite flatly, his eyes going back to Rei as she settled herself on the floor to divide the pile of clothing she had found in his bathroom, "she's going to start laundry." He didn't know why he said that, or why he felt a satisfaction in making Mina so angry. He could hear the blonde cursing on the other end as Andrew pulled the phone away from her, trying to get back on. Nephrite didn't even blink as the line finally went dead.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** Sailor Moon and all the wonderfulness that comes with it does not belong to me.

**A/N:** This is an Au setting that takes place in the Neo-Crystal Kingdom. Characterizations are a meshing of the manga, anime, and live-action series, so please no flaming in regards to that. Nor to the offbeat pairings that may develop. This is merely my take on what could happen in a post-Chaos world.

* * *

**And Then Came The Knock**

When the knock came at the door, it was soft and timid. Nephrite craned his neck to study the door from where he sat on the sofa, uncertain. He had been expecting more force than that. And more yelling. Mina had certainly sounded angry enough to do both, unless Andrew had managed to calm her down between the temple and Nephrite's apartment.

The knock sounded again, causing Nephrite to sigh. If he didn't get up to answer it then it would probably only get louder. He cast a glance toward the bed where Rei had fallen back asleep. Pushing himself to his feet he ambled over to the door and took a deep breath before opening it. He blinked in surprise at who he found on the other side.

"Amy?"

"Andrew called me," she said softly, tucking a strand of blue hair behind her ear. "I think he's trying to take the long way here to give Mina time to calm down. But just in case, he asked that I come by, too."

Nephrite had to give Andrew points for being a quick thinker. Of all the girls to call, Amy would have been his pick, too. She was usually a rational person even in the most chaotic of times, and she was likely the glue that held the girls together when they weren't getting along.

"Can I… come in?" asked Amy after a moment. Nephrite started, opening the door wider for Amy to pass through. He hadn't realized he had just been standing there thinking.

"Yeah, come in," he said. Amy nodded her thanks, slipping past him as quietly as a mouse. Nephrite closed the door behind her, giving her time to spot Rei on her own. It only took a couple of minutes for Amy to see her, giving the room a cursory glance before spying the sleeping figure beneath the covers. Nephrite thought he heard a sigh escape Amy's lips, but in relief rather than fear. He wondered how quickly that would change when she realized Rei was still only wearing a shirt. _His_ shirt.

Nephrite turned to watch Amy approach the bed, leaning against the wall beside the door. He thought about leaving the girls alone, but there was a part of him that didn't want to. It was his apartment, after all. If anyone should leave, it should be Amy and Rei. But the thought of Rei leaving bothered him more than he had thought it would, so he stayed by the door to give them space instead.

Amy didn't say a word as she lowered herself onto the bed, a hand going up to Rei's forehead to brush the hair off her face. It was a maternal instinct as far as Nephrite could tell, and he found himself smiling at the thought. No wonder the girls went to Amy for advice and sound reasoning; she took care of them like she would a patient, or a parent. That was probably why she was studying to be a doctor still. Nephrite knew Serenity had offered Amy a place in her newly formed government as an advisor of some sort, but Amy had turned it down in favor of continuing the plans she had made for herself before she had become a Sailor Soldier. He couldn't blame her. She had made a life for herself without knowing the past she had led on the moon so long ago, and to give all of that up just because it was her destiny to protect the queen…

Well, Nephrite wasn't sure he could have done it. His own life had been disrupted as well, and he was picking up the pieces of it in his own way. In some respects he hated Serenity for that – for the way his life had turned out on the moon, how it had turned out on earth several times over, and for the way he it had turned out now. But in the end it wasn't really her fault. It had been a series of events that had led them all to be where they were now, and all they could really do was figure out their new places.

He bet things had been harder for the girls, having gone from princesses and soldiers to civilians with no memories, back to soldiers again. They were still soldiers now, but to what degree? Serenity had yet to really define the new order of the kingdom, and how it would be run. She clearly wanted a place for her friends to resume their old posts at her side, but there was small fact that each of them had made their own lives in the rebirth, and those lives still existed even as the old ones had been found again. They were all living as two people – a Sailor Soldier and the civilian form they had been living as before Beryl had woken from her slumber.

Rei stirred in her sleep, and Nephrite lost his train of thought. He froze for a moment, watching with bated breath as she seemed to rouse beneath Amy's touch. Her eyes flickered open, hazy with sleep. "Amy?" she murmured.

"How are you feeling?" replied Amy softly.

"What are you doing here?" She sounded only half awake, and seemed even less so as she tried to move into a sitting position. Amy didn't say anything, allowing Rei a moment to collect herself. With her back to him, Nephrite couldn't see the look on her face, but the way she held herself made him think she probably looked concerned about her friend.

"Well?" Rei sounded more awake this time, her eyes flickering to Nephrite briefly before returning to Amy again.

"Mina," stated Amy softly, giving the barest of shrugs.

"I'm fine. You can tell her I'm fine," stated Rei firmly. "She's just making mountains out of molehills again."

"You worried her."

"Well she shouldn't have kept nagging me."

"Rei."

"You know what I mean. She wanted to talk about it, and… I just don't have time to sit down and spill my guts with her, okay? That's not what I do." Rei looked away from Amy, a troubled look on her face.

"We're all worried about you," said Amy after a moment. "You were close with your grandfather, and we know it has been difficult for you –"

"So let me deal with it in my own way. I know you guys mean well, but honestly? I don't want to grieve in front of you. I want to do this alone. I don't need you, or Mina, or anyone else around all the time. It just makes me angry, and I don't know why. But I need my space."

Both Amy and Rei turned toward the door as it burst open, surprising the hell out of Nephrite. He opened his mouth to say something, but the look on Mina's face told him it would be better to stay quiet. She shot him a dark look before storming across the room toward the bed. Nephrite frowned and leaned back against the wall again, his mood darker now that the blonde had arrived. He didn't bother to spare Andrew a glance as his friend came into the apartment as well, closing the door softly behind him.

"I tried to take as much time as I could," he said apologetically, "but she threatened to pull out her chain and choke me with it."

"She still might," replied Nephrite with a snort. "She's not human half the time."

Mina shot him a dirty look as she stood over the bed, both her hands on her hips. "You had me scared to death!" she stated to Rei. "I thought something had happened to you!"

"As you can see, I'm fine," stated Rei sharply. Her eyebrows had narrowed upon Mina's entrance, and she stared straight ahead, refusing to meet Mina's gaze.

"You call this fine?" demanded Mina. "Rei, do you even know where you are? This place is a dump!"

"She doesn't really mean that," confided Andrew to Nephrite. "She's just… overcome. She was really worried about Rei this morning. I thought she was going to break my door down when she showed up to drag me to the temple."

Nephrite didn't say a word as he studied the girls. He supposed he understood where Mina was coming from. She was worried about Rei, probably more than she realized, and it had probably scared her to not know where Rei was… just as it probably scared her that she didn't know how to go about helping Rei through this ordeal. Of course, Mina was really bad about expressing that, and she came off as being a bit high strung over Rei's minor disappearing act. He wondered if Rei knew that, but was refusing to let Mina know that she knew.

"Girls are complicated," he muttered finally. Andrew gave a soft chuckle.

"I heard that!" snapped Mina without looking their way.

"God, she has ears like a cat. She really _is_ un-human." Pushing himself away from the wall, Nephrite moved over to the couch and plopped himself atop it. His apartment had been invaded, and he was beginning to feel out of place in a place that was _his_.

"I'm glad you're safe, Rei," said Mina after a moment, directing her attention back to the dark haired woman on the bed. "Let's get you back home, though. I'll stay with you for the day, and Lita and Serena are making plans to come over tonight –"

"No." Rei's words cut Mina off mid-sentence, causing everyone in the room to glance at her. She was still staring ahead, but her face was resolute.

"What?" Mina sounded confused, which was just how Nephrite felt. He had half expected Rei to give in and leave, although now that he thought about it, he wasn't sure why he had thought that at all. She had clearly been avoiding Mina the last few days, along with the rest of her friends, so why would she simply give in and do as they wanted now?

"I said no," repeated Rei. This time she raised her eyes to look Mina squarely in the eyes. "N. O. No."

"Rei," interjected Amy, but Rei shook her head before Amy could say anything more.

"No means no. I'm not going back to the temple."

"Then we'll stay at my place, or Lita's," said Mina in exasperation.

Rei continued to shake her head. "You aren't listening."

"Yes, I am. You said you don't want to go back to the temple, so we'll hole up somewhere else."

"I'm not going with you," stated Rei firmly. "I want to be left alone."

"What, _here_? You're not alone here, Rei. What's-his-face is here."

"I have a name, you know," muttered Nephrite, but not loud enough to actually be heard.

"Does it matter where?" asked Rei. "I just need some space."

"You can have an entire bedroom at my place."

"I want space away from _you_. And Lita, and Serena, and Amy – _space_, Mina. Things have been a mess since Serena defeated Chaos, and I haven't exactly figured out how to balance the two different halves of my life. And every time I try to get a moment to think, you're there, or Lita is there, or _someone_ is there. And now this… I need time, okay? The temple was all I had with my grandpa, and now that he's gone, I don't know what to do. But I can't figure out what to do if you're asking me a million questions, or sketching my future out however you see fit."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Mina seemed to be directing her full fury at Rei now, and Nephrite had to sit up to take stock of the whole situation. She had been angry before, sure, but now she seemed to be taking everything that was being said as a personal slight.

_And I thought Rei was supposed to be the one with the short temper,_ he thought to himself.

"Guys!" Amy was on her feet now, trying to keep between the feuding pair. But neither Rei nor Mina paid her any mind, both glaring daggers at the other. It was a far cry from what Nephrite had seen earlier that morning. There was more fire in her eyes now, but he didn't think it was a good thing. There was something about that fire that told him there was something deeper going on between the girls.

"It means," said Rei, "that if anyone is going to plan my life, it's going to be me. Not you, not Serena, not my father – _me_."

"And when have I ever tried to run your life?" asked Mina furiously.

"Just because our parents are dating, Mina, doesn't mean I need you to come by the temple and try to point out all of my father's so-called 'good qualities.' If you think he has some, well good for you. But I'm not interested in getting to know him now, okay? He made a choice when my mom died, and he can live with that choice. Nothing has changed in our relationship – if he wants a daughter, and if you want a father, have at it. I really don't care."

Nephrite wasn't sure who looked more surprised by Rei's words – Amy, or Andrew. Both were looking between Rei and Mina like they were seeing them for the first time.

"You always have to be so stubborn, don't you, Rei? This isn't about our parents – this is about you. You've been acting reckless since your grandfather died – since he got sick. You've been ignoring all phone calls and text messages we send you; the temple has been closed indefinitely for over two months now. And now… _this_. Rei, we just want to help you."

"I don't need your help! I just want to figure things out on my own, without everyone throwing in a suggestion and trying to convince me that it's the right one. Open the temple again, take up training a military – these are things _you_ guys want for me. None of it is anything _I_ want for me."

"What do you want then?"

"I don't know! That's the point. I haven't had time to think it through without someone trying to pressure me! That's why I want space. I can't think with you hovering around me all the time!"

"I'm your best friend, Rei! You can't just shut me out!"

"I'm not shutting you out forever, Mina. I just need time to myself. That's how I work."

"Alone? This isn't alone. This is you avoiding the world like always. You don't want to face your father, so you shut him out; you don't want to talk about how our parents are _this_ close to getting engaged, so you push me away; and you don't want to commit to anything related to the new government because it'll lock you in, which you hate. But damn it, Rei, you have to face reality some time. You have to learn to talk to your dad because he's missing your grandfather just as much as you are. You have to accept the fact that things have changed with him, that our lives now that Chaos is gone, means rethinking everything we thought we knew! Stop trying to bury it all inside!"

"Mina…" Amy placed a hand on Mina's arm in an effort to calm her down, but the blonde shook her off.

"No. We've all said it before – Rei shuts us out when things get bad. She doesn't let us in when she needs us the most. She thinks she needs to be strong and independent, but what she really needs are her friends. We've been through hell and back together, and what, none of it matters now? Chaos is gone, we're no longer fighting evil, so now we can go back to the way things were before we met each other again? _No!_ I'm not letting that happen!"

"Enough!" All eyes turned toward Nephrite as he stood up. "Enough." His gaze was on Rei now. She was staring down at the bed, her fingers wrapped tightly around the bed sheet. Each new word had seemed to strike a blow, and maybe those blows hadn't been visible enough for Amy or Mina to notice, but Nephrite had. Mina was striking all the right chords, and Nephrite couldn't just sit and watch anymore. Rei was floundering, and if Mina wasn't going to stand back and try to see things Rei's way this time, then Nephrite was going to put a stop to it.

"Get out," he said, moving toward the trio at the bedside.

"Excuse me?" replied Mina sharply.

"You heard me. _Get. Out._"

"Fine. Rei, get your things and let's go. We'll finish this somewhere else." Mina reached down to grab one of Rei's arms, but Nephrite had anticipated something like that happening. One of his own hands shot out to grab Mina's arm, jerking her away from Rei.

"Out."

"I'm trying," snarled the blonde as she wrenched herself free.

"I mean you, Mina. You, and Amy, and Andrew – out."

"Rei –"

"Wants to be left alone, so leave."

Mina blinked, her jaw locking together. "You think I'm just going to leave Rei here with you?"

"Are you afraid I'm going to do something to her?" hissed Nephrite as he stepped closer to Mina. Her eyes flashed dangerously, but Nephrite refused to back down. It was plain to see what she thought of him; he'd never really cared what she, or anyone else, thought about him. He had only ever tolerated them because of his friendship with Andrew, and even with Darien.

"Mina," said Andrew gently. He had moved into the fray, a hand coming down on Mina's shoulder to tug her away from Nephrite. "Mina, let's go."

"I don't like you," Mina stated coldly.

"Yeah, well, the feeling's mutual," replied Nephrite with a smirk. "So get out."

Andrew gave Nephrite a nod, casting Rei a quick glance as he continued to tug Mina toward the doorway. He reached another hand out to cup Amy by the elbow, ushering her towards the door as well, and little by little, Nephrite watched the three of them near the exit. The door opened, and Amy exited first. She looked back at Rei as if she wanted to say something, but a look at Nephrite seemed to chase the words away. Mina, on the other hand, looked as though she could say volumes if given half the chance. But Andrew didn't let go of her as he pulled her through the doorway, shutting it after them.

Nephrite crossed the room in a few quick strides, tugging the lock into place with a satisfying click. He didn't doubt he'd be hearing from Mina again about this. But for now she was gone, and there was welcome silence in the apartment again.

A minute ticked by before Nephrite turned around. Rei was sitting on the edge of the bed, one leg hanging off it as she studied him. It was hard to say what she was thinking; there seemed to be a mixture of emotions in her eyes. Relief, anger, pain…

A beat passed, and then Nephrite was moving across the room toward Rei. His hands cupped her face as he leaned in for a kiss, capturing her lips between his own. This time, as she responded back, her hands reaching up to grip his shirt as she pulled him down on top of her, he was sure of it. She definitely tasted like vanilla.


End file.
